TURTLE IN PARADISE by Jennifer L. Holm

Review by Christi De Leon

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Holm, Jennifer L. Turtle in Paradise. New York, Random House, 2010. ISBN 9780375936883

PLOT SUMMARY

This historical fiction novel is about an 11-year-old girl named Turtle who moves to Key West, Florida to live with some of her relatives in 1935. Florida isn’t what Turtle had imagined, but she still has many unforeseen adventures. She searches for secret treasure with several of the other kids, and eventually finds it. After having to stay back for a housekeeping job, Turtle’s mom decides travel to Key West to reunite with Turtle. This leads to more unexpected events for Turtle and her family.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Life in Key West during the 1930s is revealed through the eyes of an eleven-year-old strong-willed protagonist named Turtle. The kids on Curry Lane in Key West wander outdoors with no shoes and tend to criticize each other often. Considering that the parents are facing difficult times, it’s quite believable for these times to also take a toll on the demeanor of the children. They also enjoyed simple forms of entertainment like dolls, playing marbles and spending time outdoors, which sometimes led to mischief. The funny pages, radio shows, and Hollywood pictures are mentioned often throughout the novel. Connections are also made to Shirley Temple and Orphan Annie as strong influences on youth during this time. Bits of insight about important events are woven into the story such as the stock market crash, the Great Depression, and a historical hurricane.

Several key themes include an emphasis on work, the importance of family, and an overpowering sense of greed. The way of life is highly reflective upon the hard times following the Great Depression. In the midst of the scarcity, everyone relied on work in some way or another. Children began working at a very young age. For instance, the kids in the Diaper Gang worked by taking care of others’ babies.  Everyone nearby knew each other and most were related, especially on Curry Lane where Turtle stayed. Although they may not have always been happy about it, they all seemed to depend on one another to get by. Evidence of greed, through sneaky and dishonest behavior, is also shown in various ways throughout the story. Even the children pick up on this behavior early on.

This story is bursting with flavor of Key West in the 1930’s, sometimes literally. For example, they called avocados “alligator pears” and had “cut-ups” consisting of a bowl full of scrounged up food that was seasoned until it was tasty. Speech patterns of the era are also consistent, particularly with names. Everyone in the story has a unique and meaningful name resembling a nickname. The author successfully captures this time in history by blending fact and fiction in a manner that is also easily understandable. In the “Author’s Note,” Holms describes what inspired her to write the novel along with many historical facts, explanations, and photographs that are relevant to the story. At the end of the book, she includes “Resources” used for researching, “Web Sites” leading readers to more information, and “Acknowledgements” to those to shared their support.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2010 Newbery Honor Book

Golden Kite Award

From Booklist: "Turtle is just the right mixture of knowingness and hope; the plot is a hilarious blend of family dramas seasoned with a dollop of adventure."

From Publishers Weekly: "This humorous adventure effectively portrays Turtle as caught between her mother's Hollywood-inspired dreams and the very real family… that offer a different kind of paradise."

From School Library Journal: "This richly detailed novel was inspired by Holm’s great-grandmother’s stories. Readers who enjoy melodic, humorous tales of the past won’t want to miss it."

CONNECTIONS

Gather other Jennifer L. Holm books to read such as:

Penny from Heaven. ISBN 0375836896

Our Only May Amelia. ISBN 0064408566

Gather other Newbery Honor Books to read such as:

Timberlake, Amy. One Came Home. ISBN 0375873457

Possible activities:

Research the Great Depression and relate it to Turtle’s perspective.

Teach a science lesson about hurricanes and make connections.